Amalfitano has been a revelation for West Brom since his arrival on loan from Marseille on transfer deadline day, scoring one of the goals of the season in last weekend's shock win over Manchester United.

Barton played with Amalfitano while on loan at Marseille last season and he recommended the Frenchman to QPR boss Harry Redknappp.

"I am still in contact with some of my former team-mates," Barton told L'Equipe. "I speak to Morgan. I really tried to get him here. I spoke about him to the manager, to scouts, but here we don't know the French championship.

"I said to them: 'He is a good player - get him over here'. They told me: 'We don't even know who he is.'

"When he scored this weekend against Manchester United, I took the mickey out of them. I knew that in England he would do well."

Readers' Comments

till I suppose it still gives him at least another year in the job. By the time it comes around , he can always make up another excuse. First it was 3 months , then a year .....Next year ? Whats his excuse with Van Persie ?